On the night of August 19, 1942, a force of five thousand Canadians launched an attack on the Nazi-held French port of Dieppe. When the disastrous raid was over, and the Allies were forced to retreat, nearly a thousand Canadian troops lay dead. Almost two thousand were taken prisoner. Some called it "the bloodiest nine hours in Canadian military history."

Through meticulous research and interviews with veterans both in Canada and at Dieppe, Hugh Brewster has created a fascinating and haunting depiction of the planning and execution of this tragic raid and its aftermath.